dye coming out of stabilized wood?

[Will52100]

Finally got a little progress in the shop, while fitting up a dyed black spacer of stabilized Shia Oak I noticed the dye coming out when I rinsed the section with acetone. Should I be concerned? Or keep rinsing till it stops? The color is all the way through the block, and even without stabilizing it'd be a good handle material, but I don't want any coming off on the users hand, or possibly staining the antler handle.

I emailed the supplier to ask them, pretty sure they get it done at K&G.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Three things cause this:
1) The fine dust from grinding is what you are seeing as "dye", staining your hands and the wipe down cloth. This is sometimes the problem.

2) More commonly, the problem is the acetone is dissolving the dye and stabilizing resin. Wipe off with denatured alcohol and see if that changes things. If it still shows dye on the cloth, try wiping it with a dry cloth and then try a cloth dampened with water. If it only comes off with the solvents, there is no problem. If it still comes off with a damp cloth or just dry rubbing, something is wrong with the dye job and stabilization.

3) The problem on some woods is that the natural oils and resins in the wood will combine with the dye. Many tropical woods will weep these oils if ground hard and heated up[. The excess oils which carry the dye along will stain your hands and come off profusely with a solvent like acetone. Try cleaning it up well with solvent and then switch to alcohol and then a dry cloth as above. That usually takes care of the problem.

 

[Will52100]

Thanks, got word from the supplier and pretty much the same, except for trying the alcohol. I haven't used a lot of stabilized material, especially dark dyed stuff, so wanted to make sure.

Thanks